Clinton County, Indiana - Chapter 7, 1913

Schools Present Status Of Schools Consolidation

The beginning of Clinton countv's school history goes far back beyond the existence of the county. Indiana is one of the five great central states of the American Union whose growth, prosperity and greatness were largely produced by that famous act of the continental congress that is known in history as the Ordinance of 1787. After Gen. George Rogers Clark and his little band of one hundred and seventy men. by a campaign which for daring, bravery and endurance is unsurpassed in all history, had captured Kaskaskia and Vincennes, and wrested from British rule an empire equal in extent to the original thirteen states, the territory thus acquired was claimed in part by several state-, but particularly by Virginia under whose orders Clark had acted, and by whom lie had been commissioned. But Virginia magnanimously ceded her claim- to the United Stales, except certain reservations for her soldiers, and by the Ordinance of 1787. the entire region was organized as The Territory Northwest of the Ohio River, or as it is commonly called, the Northwest Territory.

Note some of the provisions of that famous ordinance, the product of the great minds of the Revolutionary period, and bearing the impress of that statesman and apostle of human liberty. Thomas Jefferson, although he did not participate in it- final passage. Clinton county in common with the rest of this region owes it- fundamental guarantees of liberty, and the establishment of some of its most important institutions to those provisions. Slavery was prohibited by that ordinance in this region, thus consecrating it forever to freedom. The states to be formed out of that vast domain were to be not less in number than three nor more than rive: and any state in that territory, in order to be admitted into the union, must have not less than 60.000 people.

But the greatest provision in that charter, the gem of it all, reads as follows: "Religion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

It was under the beneficent provision of this last guarantee, the foundation was laid for our magnificent school system as well as the others of the five states carved out of that northwest territory, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. In the sale of United States Public lands, in Indiana, the sixteenth section in each and every congressional township - one thirty-sixth of the land - was set apart for common school purposes. The proceeds of the sale of the land of eight sections in this county are entirely controlled by the proper officers of the county; those of four sections are controlled by Clinton and Carroll counties jointly and of four jointly by Clinton and Boone, in all, twelve (12) sections, or 7,680 acres.

Some of these sections were sold in an early day, too early for the good of our public schools, and the sale did not produce the desired amount of revenue; others were sold later bringing good prices. In one civil township in another county, the school section was sold so well that no other revenue was required to give that civil township its per capita quota. The school funds are loaned upon real estate security in the county and. under the law, can be increased but never diminished but are constantly increased from various sources, fines, forfeitures, etc. The counties are held strictly accountable for every cent of this fund and the revenue derived therefrom and if any loss occurs through a bad loan or any defalcation, the county must make it good. Xo loss has ever occurred in this county, except some small amounts of interest on one or two petty loans. This was promptly met out of the general county funds until the matter was closed up without any loss w hatever to the school fund or to the county.

How did these school lands, the 16th section in every congressional township, sell? School section, town 21, range 1, west, but a mile or a little more out of the city was the first one sold. These lands were sold under the care and supervision of the school commissioner of the county, an important official then. Arthur Compton, a pioneer who had bought land and had settled in what became Owen township was then school commissioner; he appointed three school fund trustees and their clerk in each civil township. Henry Fudge, John Pence and John Harland wrere appointed trustees of Jackson township which then embraced Frankfort in its limits. The sale of this section was reported, October 30, 1834, very early, and this land wras sold for much less than it was then worth, even in those early days. The land is now owned by J. H. Wallace, 403 acres; Eliza Bickly (Alford), no acres; F. E. Johnson, 6 acres: J. W. Humrickhouse ; O. G. Kirkpatrick, Bertha E. Collins and G. A. Boys, each an 80 acre. This land is now assessed at $30,000. land and improvements at $33,700, now in Center, then in Jackson township. Less than 80 years ago, this school section was divided into twenty-four parcels and was then, in the year 1834, sold, some of it at a minimum price of $1.25 an acre, and some at a maximum price of $6.00 an acre; and the section brought to the school fund but Si,6o8.i8)4. This was less than one-twentieth of the present value. The next section sold and reported, September 25, 1835, was school section in Michigan township, town 22, range 1 east, on Killmore Creek, some good creek bottom land on it. The land is now owned by J. C. Whiteman, S. Sheets, W. M. Kreisher, each a 40: Jesse E. Avery, Nancy Shewmaker. Nicholas Peter, A. L. Hamilton. S. L. Louck. each an 80; W. L. Wood. 32)4: Cal. Freeman, 26: T. Calhoun, 22 acres. The total assessment of the land for taxation now is $19,110: land and improvements are $21,156. This section was sold in eight parcels and brought into the congressional school fund but $942.07)4. The minimum price was $1.26: maximum, $2.6o-"4. The next school section was sold August, 1837', in township 23, range 1 east. This school section was so situated in the township, half of which is in Carroll and half in Clinton, that the r6th section all lies in Carroll county which gets the benefit of half the proceeds of the sale. Being in another county, the present value of the land is not known. It was sold in six parcels for $1,980. The next school section sold lies in Madison civil township, town 22. range 2 west, just northeast of the flourishing town of Mulberry. This section was sold for $2,370, or an average of $3.70 an acre. The sale was reported March, 1838; sold in eight parcels, minimum price. $1.76: maximum $6.00. The land now, 75 years after the sale, is worth from $150.00 to $t 80.00 an acre, perhaps more or 40 to 45 times as much as when sold.

Michigan civil township had two school fund sections, one just given as in town 22; the other in town 21, both range 1 east. This last lies four miles east and a little south of Frankfort, the sale of which was reported, July, 1837 ; present owners, the Fee estate T40 acres; Thomas Goff. 88; T. C. Dill, A. YVvnecoop and A. E. Bickly, each 80: G. A. Blvstone. 40; J. \Y. Lydy, 100: Eliz. Myers, 30: If. Goff and PI. Zerfas. each small tracts. The present value of the land for taxable purposes is $21,550; land and improvements, $25,975. The school commissioners sold tills section in ten parcels for $2,230. A 40 not bringing the minimum price at which it was appraised was not sold at all. An out section, in town 22, range 1 west now in Union civil township, the sale was reported March, 1839: this land is now owned bv \Y. D. Doty. T. A. Colcord, and P. D. Xewhart. each an 80; H. Choat, Ed Ruch, O. J. Bierge G D. Ylaish, L. A. Rhodes and John W. Squier, each a 40; Mariah Thompson, 43: T. M. Hays, 10: P. A. Hays, 27; H. Armentrout. 33: E. H. Armentrout and Eliza J. Squier each 13 1 2 acres. The total assessed value of the lands in this section is now 819,370; land and improvements. $22,000. This was sold in fourteen tracts and brought $2,699.30. minimum price $2.00, maximum $6.31 : nearly every parcel sold at a higher price than the appraisement, below which it could not legally be sold.

In all the school land sales up to 1840, the price was less than $3.08 an acre or less than $2,000 a section, that is. less than $2,000 to a congressional township.

The sale of the twelve sections, the proceeds of which Clinton county would control would create a fund of something less than $23,000. which would not be a great start for a county school fund. This can he increased but slightly. In 1913 the total reported is $28,332.61. for the county.

A much larger basis of support is the common school fund of the state, which is deposited with the several counties to he loaned, the amount held by Clinton county in 1913 being $113,066.47. The 6G interest received on these funds is turned over to the, state, and then apportioned hack to the counties in proportion to the school children, per capita. The remaining funds for the support of the public schools are raised by local taxation.

In the earlv historv of the state an effort was made to provide for somewhat higher education locallv. In 1818 a law was passed providing for countv seminaries. It required that when a new county-seat was located. to per cent, of the proceeds of the sale of lots should be set aside for a county seminary. On Mav 2. 183 r the county commissioners appointed Thomas McClure, trustee for the countv Seminarv Eund of Clinton county, but he served for one year only, being replaced on May 7. 1832. by John McCain. The law. which was revised in 1838. provided that when the fund was sufficient, the commissioners should buy a site, and thereafter put up a seminarv building. "which -hall he open and free for public schools." To the funds from the sale of lot' were added most of the tines collected for penal offenses of various kinds.

The fund grew slowly, and on August 24, the trustees of the fund took an opportunitv to buy 3.14 acres of land at sheriff's sale for $186. It was located between what are now Clinton and Walnut streets, east of the Van- dalia tracks. This tract, known thereafter for a number of years as "the Seminary lot," is now intersected hv the Motion railroad, whose station occupies a part of the original lot.

On September 5, 1843, Isaac D. Armstrong, then trustee of the Seminary fund reported $824.73 on hand and on December 6. the commissioners let a contract for clearing and fencing. At the same time they adopted specifications for the building, which was to he "forty-five feet in length with a colonnade at each end six feet deep" - a one story building "twelve feet high in the clear" and thirty feet wide, divided into three rooms. The auditor was directed to give notice in the Frankfort Observer of the letting of the contract "at public outcry," on January 1, following.

But trouble arose, and on January 1, the board made an entry deferring action, and ordered notice to be given in the Observer that petitions and remonstrances will be received on the 2nd day of next term. The next action was on March 5, 1844, when the board "concluded to make immediate arrangements" to erect a seminary, and directed the auditor to "give notice that donations will be received on the second day of the June term, and that whatever subscription has the greatest amount donated for the erection of the same shall have the privilege of choosing the site for the same, or that the strongest subscription shall give to the donors the privilege of selecting the township in which the Seminary of the county shall be located, and provided that township -hall be construed to mean Civil town-hip."

This action was taken by the full board, but on March 23. a special meeting was held hv Win. Breckenridge. James Morrison and auditor John (Mothers, at which all the action taken after September 5. 1843 was rescinded. Commissioner David C. C'ark not being present at r hi - meeting. The -meaning of this episode is -aid to have been an effort of Jefferson to get the seminarv located at that point. This precipitated such a row that the commissioners "took to the woods." and no further action was taken until the June term, 1848, when the board ordered an advertisement for sealed proposals for the erection of a seminarv "on the most approved plan to be accompanied by specifications.

On June 24. the board met and opened the proposals only to decide that "the fund is insufficient to build the same." On March 7, 1849 the fund was reported to be $1,320.55: and on June 40. the board adopted plans and specifications prepared by John B. Douglas, and ordered the letting of the contract on the last Saturday in July. On that day. the contract was let to Matthew H. Black for $1,992.50. It was not until December 5. 1849. that the board ordered the building to he erected "on the seminary lot or tract of ground west of Frankfort": and on December 22, the board set aside the plans previously adopted, and adopted plans submitted by Matthew H. Black. Thereupon a contract w as made with Black for the erection of the building at his bid price of $1,992.50.

The work on the building did not progress rapidly. Up to November 2. 1850, Black was allowed only $900.00 on his contract, and then the payments ceased. This was perhaps due to the agitation for the common school system, which contemplated an abandonment of the seminary system. At any rate the school law of June 12, 1852. required the sale of "the county seminary buildings and other property, both real and personal, belonging to such seminaries," and the transfer of the proceeds to the common school fund. Under this law the seminary lot, with the building, was sold at public auction on June 25, 1853, t0 Samuel D. Maxwell, w ho owned property adjoining, for the sum of $1,175. On September 5, 1854. the board made a final settlement with Black for "building and completing said seminary building." finding that there was due him $70.18 which was ordered paid.

The building was never occupied as a county seminary, but in 1852-3 Miss Nelson, a Vermont teacher, had a girl's school there. On Saturday, March 25. 1854, the Crescent announced: "Miss Hobart's Female School opens in the county seminar}- on Monday morning. We have no doubt but it w ill be well patronized.' Miss Hobart was also an Eastern lady w ho had previously had a school upstairs in the Catterlin building on the north side of the square. A common tradition is that the building was originally one-story high, with porticoes at the ends, but that later it was made a two-story building, but this is incorrect. It was built substantially as it still stands, except that the door at the north end was in a recess, with pillars, similar to the entrance to the old court house, as shown in the cut of that building.

In October, 1863. the building became the property of Wilson Seawright, who made it his residence until in the early '70's. Since then it has passed to various uses - for a time doing duty as a saloon. A row' of brick buildings was built in front of it, facing the Monon tracks, and the old seminary now makes a kitchen and store-room for the Hoosier hotel, just north of the Monon station.

In the early period, as the principal part of the school system furnished by the public was the building, the teachers commonly conducted the sort of school they wished ; and there were some that made some pretensions to the higher branches. One of these that was well-known in the county was the

Locust Grove Institute at Jefferson, of which Rev. J. L. Wilson was principal, aided by a male teacher, and with a female teacher in charge of the primary department. The advertised terms of this school, for a session of twelve weeks, were: "Orthography, reading, writing and mental arithmetic, $2.50:

English grammar. Geography and practical arithmetic, $3.00: natural sciences and mathematics above arithmetic, $4.50: ancient languages, extra.''

There was also cooperation of teachers in this county in the early period. The Frankfort Compiler, of February 21, 1852. gives an account of the convention of the Clinton Academy of Teachers at Frankfort, on the afternoon of February 7'. 1852. After hearing the minutes of the last meeting the following addresses were read : "The Influence and Qualifications of a Teacher," by F. Baker; "The Schoolmaster," bv J. X. Sims: "The Cultivated Mind," bv Miss Mary M. Taylor; and "School Teaching," bv Henry Shannon. On motion it was agreed that at the next meeting all who desired should participate in the discussion of the question : "Is the present policy of the State of

Indiana, of distributing the county seminary fund into the common school fund, expedient?" The next meeting was to be held at the court house on the first Saturday in March; and in addition to the discussion the following persons were to deliver addresess on "Subjects of Education": N. R. Smith, Robert Brown, L. M. Ransopher and C. J. Miller.

From the organization of the countv up to the time of second state constitution's coming into effect, the common school system of Clinton county, as in all the counties, was very poor. Each civil township was divided into school districts - the district was the unit then, as the township is now. Three trustees presided over each school district and managed it after a haphazard sort of a way. The school fund was then very weak: in fact it was not drawn from the county treasury every year. When it was not used, the entire tuition was from a private subscription on which was obtained for or by the teacher, usually at the rate in those davs of $2.00 a pupil which was paid at the close of the school term of thirteen weeks: if a teacher received S60.00 for his entire term he was doing fairly well in a rural school. When the pittance of public money was drawn by the trustees, the subscription list was yet kept up. but the teachers pay was then based upon the attendance at about S2.00 for each child attending he receiving the public rnonev, seldom more than half enough, and he pro-rated it among the pupils that attended, giving each parent a pro rata credit on his tuition as far as the public monev went.

As a mere matter of form in order to comply with the law, the teacher had to submit to an examination, which was always crude and very brief, not extending in arithmetic beyond the ''single rule of three." In the article signed by the teacher and parents, often he did not agree to teach beyond that magic rule of three and not always did he agree to teach "grammar" at all.

The school houses in that day are described elsewhere; no maps or charts were used; blackboards were a later innovation; up to the time of the appearance of the McGuffey's series of readers, the English reader some out-of-date history, or any kind of a reading bonk was the reader in which each scholar in the school was in a class lm himself. The teacher of each country school was the janitor or hired some boy to sweep out. build fires and make the house habitable in winter during the eight hours of the school day. Up to nearly the year 1850. the teacher often boarded around among his patrons, going from family to family.

The first schools in the county were in the winters of 1820-30 and 1830- 31, one in Washington township in a log cabin, the other in a log cabin also, on the Bunnell farm not far from where the Farmers Chapel school is now. After the county-seat was located, and the population rapidly increased by immigration, these rural schools sprung tip rapidly. The instruction imparted in these schools w as often crude, imperfect and was more of the "pouring in" than the "drawing out" process. But it had one fundamental feature worthy of commendation : the instruction imparted w as personal, the teacher came directly in personal contact with each pupil. This personal contact counts for very much in education.

While blackboards were not in use. the direct personal attention given the scholar, enabled the latter to acquire all the knowledge of arithmetic the teacher had. Olnev's Geography was the sole text book in those days in that branch and as far as the location of all countries, cities, rivers, lakes, topical geography was concerned the other branches of that study, the pupils made good progress and did fairly good work. Poor as were the schools of those days, the foundation was laid for better things. Under the new constitution of 1831, the various school funds were consolidated, the township, town or city became the unit of our school system. For a time, the schools were badly crippled bv a very unwise supreme court decision that a city, town or township could not make a special levy for tuition purposes. This in 1867 was nullified by a law permitting a tax to be leyied for school purposes and the schools began to flourish. The academies and Collegiate Institutes at Thorntown, Battle Ground and elsewhere near Clinton county were educating and qualifying a class of teachers for the country who. after the civil war gaye a fresh impetus to the schools of Clinton county, which has gone on in- creasing in later years, until now under the wise management of the county superintendents and school trustees of the civil townships, working always to elevate the character of the city and town schools of the county, the schools in this county stand second to none in the state.

The various county teachers institutes did much to stimulate the teachers and prepare them for better service. The first county institute in Clinton was held in the winter of 1864-5, in Frankfort in the little brick school house which then stood upon the site of the Heating Company's plant corner of Columbia and Ohio streets. The schools of the county are now thoroughly graded; consolidation has been made in some townships and soon will be in all, when one large well planned, well equipped school house in each township, with a well qualified efficient corp of teachers, will do the work of preparing the rising generation of children for American citizenship.

A brief summary as to the present condition of the schools in Clinton county, their resources, funds, number of children of school age, attendance, enrollment, number of school houses, their condition, etc., is here given in a brief condensed statement for the year 19 12-13. In that school year there were enrolled in the elementary and high schools of Clinton county:

As to libraries, in addition to the public library of Frankfort, with nearly 6,000 volumes, there are reported six township libraries with nearly 4,000 volumes, but they are not in a very efficient condition, although it was reported that 524 volumes were added to them last year. Each school in the countv, however, has a small library, largely composed of Young Peoples' Reading Circle books, varying from forty volumes in the smaller schools to 600 in the school at Rossville.

There is a gradual movement towards the consolidation of township schools, though there are still five townships - Center, Warren, Union, Jackson and Sugar Creek, in which there has been no consolidation. The only completely consolidated township is Madison, which has a commissioned high school at Mulberry, with five high school teachers and five grade teachers. Ross township has a commissioned high school at Rossville. with eight teachers : and has also six one-room rural schools. Washington towmship has one school of four teachers at Jefferson : one of twro teachers at Fickle; and one rural school of one room.

In Perrv township, there is a commissioned high school at Colfax, with four high school and five grade teachers. At Manson is a school with two teachers. There are also two rural schools, one - the New Hope school - with two teachers, and the other with one. Kirklin township has a commissioned high school at Kirklin with four high school and six grade teachers ; also three one-room rurals. Johnson township has three schools. The accredited high school at Hillisburg has two high school and four grade teachers. There is a school with three teachers at Scircleville, and one rural school.

Forest township has a certified high school with two high school and four grade teachers ; also four one-room rurals. Michigan township has two consolidated schools. The certified high school at Michigantown has three high school and four grade teachers. The graded school at Boyleston has three teachers. There are also four one-room rural schools. The graded school at Moran has two teachers. Owen township has two consolidated schools, and four one-room rurals. The certified high school at Sedalia has two high school and two grade teachers.

In addition to the public schools there are two private educational institutions in the county. The Weidner Institute, at Mulberry, to which point it removed from Colburn, in Tippecanoe county, is a secondary school, under Lutheran auspices. It does two years of college work, and reports thirty-two pupils in 1913. There is a business college at Frankfort, conducted by Miss Josie Weller, which reports thirty-two pupils. As a whole, the schools of Clinton county are in a flourishing condition. Further information as to the schools of Frankfort will be found in the chapter on that city.

In regard to the school system, a state of perfection has been gradually attained, in the course of years, that removes most of the defects of the early schools, and insures justice both to teachers and to the public. Since 1873 there has been actual and practical supervision of the rural schools by the county superintendent; who also conducts rigid examinations of teachers, with questions provided by the state board of education, and issues licenses for one, two or three years. Clinton county may be congratulated on an efficient county superintendent, and also on an efficient body of school trustees, who are doing excellent service in promoting the welfare of the schools.

A teacher who has taught for six consecutive years and holds a thirtysix months' license, is exempt from examination in the county in which he has taught, so long as he continues to teach without interruption. There are three grades of licenses based upon the grade of school work done, primary, common school and high school. Teachers who do primary work, that is, work up to the fourth grade, are permitted to teach upon the primary license, which, while requiring a knowledge of the principles pertaining to primary work, does not call for advanced academic training. The common school license is valid in grades one to eight inclusive, and calls for larger scholarship. The high school license is valid in high schools. A county or state high school license may be granted upon one or more subjects. The county superintendent has the power to revoke licenses heretofore granted by himself or his predecessors or granted by the state superintendent of public instruction, for incompetence, immorality, cruelty or general neglect of duty on the part of the teacher. The teacher may appeal to the state superintendent of public instruction, whose decision is final.

Teachers are guaranteed fair compensation by the minimum wage law, which provides that their pay shall not be less in the case of beginning teachers than an amount determined by multiplying two and one-fourth (2L4) cents by the scholarship given said teacher on his highest grade of license at the time of contracting; and after the first school term of any teacher, said teacher's daily wages shall not be less than an amount determined by multiplying two and one-half (2j4) cents by the general average of scholarship and success given the teacher on his highest grade of license at the time of contracting; and after three years of teaching said wages shall not be less than an amount determined by multiplying two and three-fourths ( 2 -p ) cents by the general average of scholarship and success given the teacher on his highest grade of license at the time of contracting: Provided. That two (2) per cent, shall be added to a teacher's general average of scholarship and success for attending the county institute the full number of days and that said two (2) per cent, shall be added to the average scholarship of beginning teachers.